If you don't have a Chubby already, you might just find yourself getting one soon – that is, if you want a tried-and-true pop-up truck topper with a little extra space inside. Arizona shop Ovrlnd Campers' latest launch isn't a product but an entire option category. The new "Chubby" package flares each topper out beyond the width of the pickup bed, making space for potential east-to-west sleeping and more interior elbow room. And while going Chubby adds weight over traditional Ovrlnd models, the line remains lighter than loads of alternatives.
The Chubby concept is quite similar to what some full-blown pickup camper manufacturers do in extending sidewalls out past the sides of the truck and what brands like Radica and Tune brought to the topper market. This time, though, the strategy is not focused on any one single model but extended across an entire lineup of pre-existing models.
More specifically, the Chubby option extends the width of both sides of the topper by 3.5 inches (8.9 cm) in comparison to standard models that feature sidewalls extending straight up from the pickup rails. This extension adds an extra 7 inches (17.8 cm) across the interior.
That doesn't necessarily sound like much, but when you're sheltering down inside a space as small as a pickup truck topper, any little bit of extra space will make a difference. And the extra width in this case allows for larger beds, up to and including the possibility of sleeping three or four people instead of the usual two.
Specific dimensions can vary slightly with truck model, but Ovrlnd explains that the wider Chubby box expands the sleeping platform width to 75 inches (191 cm) in an alcove topper prepared for a full-size pickup truck. That results in a bed space measuring a full 75 x 80 in (191 x 203-cm), an inch short of full and proper king-size dimensions. That bed width means anyone 6-foot-ish (~1.8-m) or shorter can lie transversely rather than having to sleep longitudinally, meaning the bed then offers 80 inches of width, 4 inches (10 cm) more than a king.
So now you can fit three or four people lying side by side down the 80 inches of platform available once you slide out the bed extension, especially if you're talking about a family with young children and not four burly, beardy hunting buddies. That's pretty impressive for a simple pickup topper.
The Chubby advantage is even more pronounced in Ovrlnd's compact, ultralight Bivy - a cube-like pop-top that eliminates the sleeper alcove to cut weight down as low as 205 lb (93 kg). It's one of the lightest pickup toppers we've ever covered, and even with the extra weight of the Chubby wide body, weighs in around 230 lb (104 kg) for a basic shell version before options.
The full-size truck Bivy Chubby model brings in that 75 inches of interior width, opening up the same ability to sleep east/west across the pickup box. That not only serves to spin you around from the longitudinal bed Ovrlnd offers on the standard-width Bivy, it opens up the possibility of creating a proper-length bed on a 5.5-foot short bed.
By widening out the sleeping platform, you now have that 75 inches of available lie-down length, whereas you're limited to a sub-6-ft longitudinal bed measuring roughly 66 x 60 in (168 x 152-cm) in the standard-width Bivy – too short for average-height males to use without having to contort. A 66 x 75-in bed, on the other hand, provides enough space to lie flat, so long as you're around 6 feet (72 in/183 cm) or under.
The Chubby interior is more limited when built for midsize truck models because their narrower pickup boxes mean it offers only 68 inches (173 cm) of internal width. Still, it does open up a roomier sleeping area than available in standard Ovrlnd variants.
Of course, the added width doesn't come without some downsides. Ovrlnd is quite forthright about what those are, wanting its customers to make the best choice between its traditional truck-width models and the new Chubby variants.
First off, you're looking at between 30 to 50 extra pounds (13.6 to 22.7 kg) of weight, depending upon Ovrlnd model and truck make/model/bed size. Ovrlnd's campers are quite lightweight, though, so that extra weight may not prove a major issue, but it's certainly part of the overall equation.
Other downsides include more wind resistance due to the wider front wall and some slight handling degradation because of the added weight hanging off the sides. The wider body may also become an obstacle when navigating particularly tight trails, from rocky canyon bottlenecks to gnarled tree branches overhanging a dirt path.
Finally, unlike the 270-degree-swinging split rear barn doors available on traditional Ovrlnd models, the Chubby models are limited to 180-degree door openings. Ovrlnd tested longer 270-degree hinges on its prototype but ultimately found them too susceptible to torsional forces that could cause problems with misalignment and closure security. So it's using shorter 180-degree hinges on the production version with a latch system that keeps the doors open at camp and prevents wind from slamming them shut. They redesigned Chubby doors just won't swing all the way around to the sidewalls as on standard-body toppers.
The Chubby option adds $950 to the cost of any of Ovrlnd's three existing models: the $7,400+ Bivy pop-up cube, the $8,400+ specced-to-order All You Can Eat alcove pop-top, and the $11,499+ standardly equipped Bread 'N' Butter alcove popper. It can be ordered now, along with an extensive offering of options. Each Ovrlnd topper features honeycomb aluminum panels atop a square-tube aluminum frame.
Ovrlnd's newest video below provides a thorough look at its first Chubby Bivy build, and this older video shows a similar in-depth dive of the Chubby alcove prototype.
Source: Ovrlnd Campers
